You probably can’t have failed to see the hype surrounding Australia the Movie, particularly if you are living in Australia. The movie has recently been released onto DVD bringing with it an array of more reviews and comments.

Most would agree that it’s a great love story. Some critics have even said it reminds them of the classic films such as Gone with the Wind or Out of Africa.

That said, there seems to be a few points that consistently come up about the films length and the number of themes that Baz tried to cover. The main problem seems to be that it should be half an hour shorter. Others have said that the film should have been made into two movies as there really were just too many themes.

Nicole Kidman came under unnecessary attack for her role as Lady Sarah Ashley, in my opinion! If anything Hugh Jackman’s over use of the Aussie slang Crikey was at times a bit cringey for me!

At least there is something that we all seem to agree on and that’s the scenery, particularly of the outback, Darwin Harbour and the cattle droving scenes. If you are planning your next trip to Australia and want to see some of that scenery, where do you go?

Well you should probably take a trip to Darwin if you liked the Darwin Harbour scenes. That said, those scenes were actually filmed in a small town called Bowen in Queensland. Unless you are a total film buff, I wouldn’t necessarily make the trip to Bowen.

Head to the Kimberleys to experience the stunning outback scenes. The Kimberleys are in the far West of Australia and should only be visited between May and October. Outside of these months it’s the wet season making it pretty impossible to get around with many roads closed due to the flooding.

To get here you need to fly to either Broome or Kununurra. If your time here is limited then fly to Kununurra. From here you have access to the Cockburn ranges which were a big feature in the movie. You can also visit the Bungle Bungles from here too. Why not add to the experience by staying on a traditional homestead. I’d recommend either El Questro or Home Valley Station. Both of these are within 3 hours of Kununurra.

If you have more time then fly to Broome. Enjoy a couple of days here and incorporate a trip to Cape Leveque’s secluded beaches. Then take the 3 hour drive to Broome where you can start your,4WD adventure down the Gibb River Road. The road itself is unsealed and is over 700km. At the end of it you will find El Questro or Home Valley.

It’s a shame that the Faraway Downs Homestead where Lady Sarah Ashely lived is not open to the public. You can however fly over it on a scenic flight should you so wish.

If you fancy doing a cattle drive, then you need to wait until 2010 for the Great Australian Cattle drive. You don’t need any specific experience so don’t worry if you are not as good as Hugh or Nicole on a horse. Access is from South Australia.

Hopefully you now have enough to start planning how you can enjoy a part in Australia the Movie.

The author Jennifer Schellington has nearly 5 years experience of travel around Australia. http://www.realaustraliatravel.com offers essential advice about travel around Australia as well as great places to visit, including hidden gems that only the Aussie’s know about. Click here for more information on where to experience scenery from Australia the Movie